The present invention relates to a mechanism which is capable of playing a compact disc, i.e., a CD, and a cassette tape and a player incorporating such a playing mechanism.
Playing mechanisms for playing CDs and cassette tapes are of course known. Although these two types of playing mechanisms sometimes co-exist in a multi-function player, they are simply put together in the sense of that they share the same player body, without much consideration to the question of space-saving.
The invention seeks to provide a combined CD/cassette playing mechanism which is compact in size and a player incorporating the same.
According to the invention, there is provided a combined CD/cassette playing mechanism formed by a CD playing module and a cassette playing module supported on a chassis, the CD playing module comprising a CD spindle for supporting a CD and a laser head on one side of the CD spindle for reading the CD, and the cassette playing module comprising a compartment for receiving a cassette tape, a pair of tape spindles for running the cassette tape and tape playback and recording heads, wherein a part of the cassette playing module is accommodated in the space on a side of the CD spindle other than the laser head side and immediately behind the CD for space-saving.
In a preferred embodiment, the CD playing module and the cassette playing module are positioned close together to face in opposite directions.
More preferably, the cassette playing module has a front layer occupied by the compartment and a rear layer occupied by a cassette operating mechanism, a part of the rear layer being accommodated in the space.
It is further preferred that a part of the CD playing module is accommodated in a space level with the rear layer and immediately behind the front layer of the cassette playing module.
It is yet further preferred that the CD playing module includes an electric motor for rotating the CD spindle, a part of the motor being the part accommodated in the second mentioned space.
In another preferred embodiment, the CD playing module and the cassette playing module are positioned close together to face in the same direction.
More preferably, a part of the cassette compartment is the part accommodated in the space.
It is preferred that the space accommodating the part of the cassette playing module is on the side of the CD spindle directly opposite to the laser head and partially directly opposite a CD mounted on the CD spindle.
For maximum space-saving, the part of the cassette playing module accommodated in the space corresponds to a base part of the cassette tape received in the compartment.
Preferably, the chassis supporting the CD playing module and the cassette playing module is a one-piece structure.
More preferably, the chassis is integrally moulded from plastic material.
It is preferred that the CD playing module and cassette playing module include a single electric motor for rotating the CD spindle and tape spindles.
The invention also provides a portable player incorporating such a combined CD/cassette playing mechanism.